Program for street kids only for show: Activist<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A social activist gave the city administration a
\nfailing grade on Tuesday for its efforts to improve the welfare
\nof street children included in the Rumah Singgah (sheltering)
\nprogram.<\/p>\n
Deputy executive director of the Indonesian Child Welfare
\nFoundation (YKAI) Arum Kusumanegara said the city administration
\nneglected the program's true mission to help the children and
\ninstead focused on its own objectives.<\/p>\n
\"The city administration has only observed the security and
\naesthetic aspects of the program,\" she told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Political concerns appeared to be paramount in administrators'
\napproach to the program.<\/p>\n
\"The city administration set up 43 shelters, one in every
\ndistrict, to foster street children whose number has been
\nincreasing due to the prolonged economic crisis, and ceaselessly
\nlaunched promotions for the adoption of the sheltering program
\njust before the June 1999 general election,\" Arum said.<\/p>\n
\"That's the reason why people consider the city-sponsored
\nprogram was merely a political move to gain public sympathy.\"<\/p>\n
With the assistance of the Asian Development Bank and the
\nUnited Nations Development Program, the government allocated Rp
\n15 billion (US$2.14 million) through the Ministry of Social
\nServices from the state budget to finance non-governmental
\norganizations (NGOs) involved in the sheltering program
\nnationwide.<\/p>\n
Funds were earmarked to finance the operational expenditures
\nand provide scholarships, counseling, nonformal education and
\nvocational training for the street children.<\/p>\n
As many as 11,000 children in the city were categorized as
\nstreet children in 1999. They were below 16 years of age and
\nworked as candy sellers, car cleaners, shoe-shiners and beggars.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, there are 61 NGOs involved in the program. Last
\nyear, they received a total of Rp 4.3 billion to run the
\nshelters, but they could only accommodate 4,000 children.<\/p>\n
Arum said the program was not properly managed by the city
\nadministration and only added to expenses when there were still
\nan estimated 7,000 children still on the streets.<\/p>\n
The program has been implemented through picking up street
\nchildren and taking them to the shelters, where they received
\nmoney to buy food and were allowed to stay. However, no
\ncounseling, education and training programs were provided.<\/p>\n
Arum said the sheltering program should ideally be aimed at
\nhelping the children survive tough street life and providing them
\nwith necessary skills. \"And the program should be carried out in
\nthe best interest of the children.\"<\/p>\n
She urged the city administration to design a special
\neducation program and modify the existing sheltering program to
\nsuit the conditions of street children in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
\"On the streets, those children are subject to abuse and
\nintimidation from police officers and adults.\"<\/p>\n
She said she was pessimistic about an improvement in
\nconditions because of the lack of volunteers capable of running
\nthe program, combined with poor facilities and the rigid
\neducation system.<\/p>\n
\"Unless, the new government puts more emphasis on the
\nprogram's implementation, the problems will prevail.\"<\/p>\n
She expected that the sheltering program would continue
\nalthough the social services ministry was abolished from the
\ncurrent Cabinet. (06)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/program-for-street-kids-only-for-show-activist-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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